Since it's silent though, a lot of it feels really drawn out and overblown. Maybe if this were a talkie this wouldn't be an issue. I did enjoy the story, but feel that, at 110 minutes, this is too long. It's a silent affair, but has some great music and sound effects to carry it along. It features wonderful shadowy cinematography, moody set designs, and some good makeup effects from renowned artist Jack Pierce. This was made for Universal, but fits right in with the German Expressionist era that many of the cast and crew got famous in. In reality, it's really just a sweeping melodramatic romance, and a decent one at that. Eventually Gwynplaine gets drawn back into the world of political intrigue where he finds himself forced to make some really crucial decisions.īecause of Gwynplaine's facial deformity (which also served as the inspiration for Batman's arch nemesis The Joker), and the garish freakshow elements, this film is often thrown in with the horror genre. Finding shelter with a traveling freakshow, Gwynplaine matures into adulthood and falls in love with the beautiful, but blind Dea, who is the only person able to get past his appearance. Based on a novel by Victor Hugo, this is the story of Gwynplaine- a nobleman's son who, when he was a child, was kidnapped by a political rival, and disfigured by a gypsy "surgeon" who carves a perpetual smile onto the young boy's face.
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